Nominated by Bill Clinton Preceded by Peter K. Leisure | Name William Pauley | |
Alma mater Duke University (B.A., J.D) Education Duke University School of Law, Duke University | ||
William H. Pauley III (born August 14, 1952) is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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Education and career
Born in Glen Cove New York, Pauley received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Duke University in 1974 and a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law in 1977. He was a law clerk for the Office of the Nassau County Attorney in New York City from 1977 to 1978. He was a Deputy county attorney of Nassau County Attorney' Office in 1978. He was in private practice in New York City from 1978 to 1998. He was an assistant counsel for the New York State Assembly Minority Leader from 1984 to 1998.
Federal judicial service
On May 21, 1998, Pauley was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York vacated by Peter K. Leisure. Pauley was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 21, 1998, and received his commission on October 22, 1998.
Notable decisions
Among his notable decisions was that involving Ben-ami Kadish, a United States National who pleaded guilty to passing classified information to Israel. On December 27, 2013, he also ruled that the NSA's bulk collection of metadata on nearly every phone call made in the United States is legal. Pauley's ruling contrasted with a ruling of a similar suit in the District of Columbia by Richard J. Leon. On May 7, 2015, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed his ruling and remanded the case for further consideration.